WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The clean, modern lines of the contemporary home that sits 578 feet above sea level on Tweed Boulevard in Upper Grandview is a stark contrast to the rolling hillside forest that surrounds the seven-acre property.

This juxtaposition was deliberate, and the vision of its original owner, real estate developer Karl Kirchner, who built the 6,000-square-foot “Hawk Hill” estate in the 1960s as a weekend home for relaxing and entertaining.

The moniker is a nod to the population of red tail hawks that are active in the area, and often dot the skyline alongside other creatures of flight, including the occasional eagle.

Perched high on a ridge — it affords a view directly across the water to skyline of White Plains — the home has breathtaking views of the Hudson River and the ongoing Tappan Zee Bridge construction, as well as the lush marshes of Piermont.

The residence, on the market for $4.35 million, is thought to be the highest home situated on the mountainside of the area’s 500-acre wildlife preserve.

The six-bedroom, six-bath property is integrated within Clausland Mountain Park and comes with a two-acre building lot for future development.

“It had been Karl’s dream to build a dramatic house overlooking the Hudson River. He assembled the land for the house, including a large portion of the 532 acres that he later sold and which eventually became Clausland Mountain Park,” said Marie-Louise Kirchner, the current owner of the home and daughter-in-law of Karl Kirchner.

Developer Karl Kirchner built the 5,000-square-foot “Hawk Hill” estate in the 1960s as a weekend home for relaxing and entertaining.(Photo: Richard Ellis Sothebys International)

The home was ideal for the family because it offered “privacy with easy access to the city and airports so they could travel internationally," she said. "For the children, the house and its surrounding woods gave ample opportunities for hiking and exploration.”

Prospective homebuyers with a penchant for modern design will delight in the streamlined walls and organic materials used in and around the premises.

Granite gneiss, a metamorphic rock found in the Lower Hudson Valley, was sourced from the land and used to create home’s unique interior rock wall, as well as the three wood-burning fireplaces throughout the home. The gneiss was also used to create the low stone walls that bring definition to the estate’s exterior walkways.

The stone-lined foyer, with its Asian-inspired double front door, creates a majestic entrance into the home’s open, formal dining room.

Karl Kirchner originally designed the dwelling as a place to entertain friends and guests, and the family has hosted politicians, including the Rockefellers and Cuomos, record producer Mitch Miller, and many others, over time.

“Many of Rockland’s notable residents, as well as many prominent personalities from New York City were guests at one time or another,” said Kirchner. “They counted Helen Hayes, famed actress and Nyack resident, acclaimed actor and producer Burgess Meredith and even Lotte Lenya, actress and wife of Three Penny Opera composer Kurt Weill.”

The home’s open floor plan allows flow between the enlarged living spaces, including the formal dining space and family room, which blends into a sunken living room steps below.

Cherry wood paneling on the walls and ceilings brings an organic, earthy glow, naturally enhanced by the ambient light from the floor to ceiling windows that look out on the wide cantilevered deck and far reaching river views. Within the home, crafted wood built-ins create stylishly hidden storage throughout the home.

The spacious master bedroom features a private balcony and romantic fireplace, as well as his-and-her baths still outfitted in midcentury modern tilework and fixtures, including a circle soaking tub.

“The master bedroom balcony has on a few occasions served as a beautiful vantage from which to enjoy a nice breakfast,” said Kirchner. “From the windows one can see magnificent, but ever-changing sunrises every morning.”

A private wing, just steps across the hall, offers three additional bedrooms and two bathrooms for family or visiting guests.

A fully functional retro-designed kitchen has ample counter and cook space as well as an in-room eating area, and is connected to the maid’s quarters and a back room storage space which can hold china or tableware.

“This space would also be ideal as a home office,” said real estate broker Richard Ellis of Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty.

Downstairs, a spacious recreation room features a sauna and full bath, as well as easy access to the inground pool. Also on the property one will find a small artist’s studio, which is in need of updating, as well as an oversized two car garage, which houses a cozy caretaker’s apartment.

A short drive up the mountain will bring quiet relief for prospective homebuyers seeking escape from noise or neighbors. “This type of seclusion and privacy doesn’t exist everyday,” said Ellis.